Why You Should Discover Comic Books

Comic books may not be the frontier they used to be. They're not new on the market. That's not surprising, for most of us know many great stories come from great comic books. I offer here not a theory for comic books, but a truthful exploration of what comics books can do for you, the lazy reader who just wants to get a good story the first time. It goes from the classic works of Alan Moore, Frank Miller, and Stan Lee to the heightened, dark realities of the new blood in the comic book medium: the horror writers.

Film World:

You probably have heard of "Sin City," the film made out of the Frank Miller comic. Sure, maybe you thought that "300," "Spider-Man," and "Batman Begins" were cool too. Most of us know the comic world because of films. It's not a surprise, because comic books are much easier to adapt into a films than a novels. It's just surprising comics aren't adapted more.

The films are often not complete adaptations of the comic stories; things are changed. Yet some of the best tell their own stories. For one, the Alan Moore gothic horror classic "From Hell" proved a serious comic book story could be turned into an incredible film. That is one creator behind many films, like "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" and "V for Vendetta." The film world proves comics influence is spreading. Film studios have succeeded with the likes of "Iron Man," "Spider-Man," and "Batman Begins," in recent years.

See the Creators:

Alan Moore and Frank Miller were mentioned. That is a major reason you should discover comic books-for these two writers. There are many others, but start there. Frank Miller wrote the best Batman story, "The Dark Knight Returns," which showed a human, aging Batman fighting to retake Gotham. Alan Moore's "Watchmen" is considered by many to be the best comic story ever, including "Time" magazine. Those are two big reasons to discover comics.

Comics aren't always about high art either. There is an old phrase in Hollywood: the B Film. Even B films can be great, as is the case with B comics. For example, the works of Steve Niles, an acclaimed horror writer in the comic field, have spread. "30 Days of Night" was made into a bloody film nightmare, and countless other classic horror tales have come out of this dark mind. There is more, so much more, and that means story.

Discover Story:

The stories are what make them work. It started with legendary minds like Will Eisner (wrote "Spirit"), Stan Lee (created countless comic heroes, like Spider-Man), and Bob Kane (Batman creator). What matters here is that discovering comic books is a fun and joyful thing. Each writer and artist brings something new to the table. The comic book differs from the novel: you have pictures. It differs from the film: the pictures don't move, and it has words. It wouldn't be hard to see that the comic book has evolved, and with it other forms like the film and novel. The comic can do things films and novels cannot. That's the best reason to discover this art form.

Collecting Joyful Things:

Collecting is fun; collect comics and you will never be let down. Well, maybe you will ... but a true comic fan finds much more gold than fool's gold. Ignore the flashy covers, and you will see the joy in collecting. It's not the biggest reason to discover comics. But think of it like your personal reading library of quality stories by the likes of Frank Miller, Will Eisner, Alan Moore, and Steve Niles. One you begin, however, you may never stop.